rockdavisillustration

Set up a sketched a still life with some unpatterned objects. Need a stronger light source as the room I work in has too much encompassing not directional light to give strong shadows. Attempted to block some of the windows, but will need to look at a better solution in the long-term. Perhaps a dark throws for the roof light and one side of windows, with a spot light. Will work in a different location for first assignment, until I find a better solution. Sketches produce some satisfactory shapes and shadows. Sketched the teapot, jug and lemon with a brush and a medium payne’s grey on white. Painted the teapot, jugs and then plate and finally lemon and some minimal background detail. The solidity works on some areas though there is some inaccuracy in shape. The plate is the least successful area as it seems to be convex not concave – I have painted the outer edge too dark. All objects need more shadow as they appear to float.

Sketched the arrangement for the dark ground study, I used more fruit, a mango, lemon and banana, and tried a translucent white wine. I began with the wine bottle, but struggled immediately as I used a colour which was too pale and opaque to describe the delicacy of glass. Painting in too much highlight made the bottle look opaque. I will try much more liquid colour and more delicate highlight lines when attempting glass again. I like the process of using the base to describe the object and just adding the highlights. The fruit was much more successful, I especially like the effect of the angular banana shape in simple tone pieces, against the more gradual rounded lemon. I struggled to portray the cloth without distracting from the items on the table and so added some paynes grey to give the cloth shadows a different colour in places. I like the effect this gives - focusing the eye on the fruit. Good strong shapes, though still somewhat angular – not quite impressionism but the large thick strokes and narrow pallet give the painting a look which appeals to me. The light ground painting requires more shading details to match the life of the dark ground.

I am not sure if it is just that I feel more free when painting on the dark grounds, as it is a newer experience, but the paintings seem more interesting and full of movement and life. In contrast the light grounds seem flat and controlled, which makes me dissatisfied in their execution, as if the shapes and texture need to be more perfect, to reflect real life more accurately – more photographic. While the dark grounds feel more like an interpretation/ impression which leaves room for imagination and inaccuracy.

Exercise 4 – Tonally Graded Wash (light oil wash on paper)

Cadmium Red Medium mixed with Turpentine to create an increasing light wash, along a length of paper. The texture of the brushes makes a big difference to the fluidity of tone – hog not much good, but I havent a wide enough sable. Persevered with the bristle brush as it is a nice wide flat which holds enough paint to cover a full width of paper. Using such a dilute mix of red gives a gritty, unsatisfactory finish – I will need to practice a smoother transitions between shades.

Also tried Alizarin Crimson, which is easier to shade as works more smoothly when translucent, but still needs practice for greater control.

Wet In Wet – Worked a wash of Alizarin Crimson into a wash of Cadmium Red – colours mixed well to give a new colour of tonal wash on one half of the paper with no hard defined colour change point or horizon point.

Would be interesting to use for color and tonal on a single object, showing soft shade and light meeting at  highlight. or colour changes on a transparent object – sky, sea, etc.

Overlaying washes – Alizarin crimson on to dry cadmium red wash. Gives a very different effect as you can still see the original wash through the second wash, and a more definite line where the second wash ends, Useful for horizons. translucent subjects containing other translucent - i.e. glass of wine, some reflections, voiles over sky, clearly defined shade areas.

Exercise 6 – Opaque mixing

Cadmium Red, Titanium White – attempting to recreate colours in first transparent wash. Smoother transition between rows – white helps blending – however, colours are cooler and more blue due to the white. Will try adding a medium yellow in small quantity to recreate a better colour match – success.

Cadmium Red and Alizarin Crimson, meet with White Titanium – nice smooth transition, good for solid object colour change, – difficult to use a base as very thick, oily and slow drying – would need to be careful with drying of over colours. Nice glossy finish, rather than mat transparent. Could give a solid sky and translucent wash clouds, if allowed for drying of opaque base. Tried on a large scale in emulsion on Bea’s bedroom ceiling and walls – very successful sky clouds and hills. Finished with acrylic poppies, sheep and birds, stick on glow stars and Beatrix Potter stickers – happy baby. Scarlett did some excellent colour mixing on the sun which hands and brushes.

The opaque seems more flat and less natural even though it is glossier. Like a perfect flat blue summer sky when looking straight up. However, grey days and slightly murky skies with less defined illumination look more transparent. Looking ahead rather than up gives the dark to light with background illumination effect of transparent washes.

Both have interesting but different results – perhaps opaque for heavier flat objects and skies, transparent for light or moving skies and objects.

Not sure, but looking at my favourite Hopper prints it looks like he uses a transparent wash for skies, with opaque for sea and land meeting the sky. Gives a light airy effect with a sense of distance. Wish I could examine the real thing up close and look at the textures.

Further transparent pairings – Prussian Blue and Viridian - easier to blend and shade than the reds. Prussian blue is the easiest to work with so far. Ultramarine deep and Chromium deep green, also nice transparent washes, but wet in wet the green over powers the blue, may be better to use the green on a dry blue wash. Some complimentary pairings – Azure blue and orange mixed from cadmium red and cadmium yellow – lovely browns and greens mixed in the page. Good sea and sunset?

Hi

I have been struggling to get used to splitting my priorities. When I am with the kids I am thinking about and wanting to paint, but when I am painting I am missing the kids and feeling guilty about not nourishing their minds. I have tried do both at once, without much success – Bea ended up tipping a full container of sansodor (solvent) all over herself and scaring the life out of me. She seemed to think my oils looked more interesting the her crayolas.

We did manage to mix some art observation time together. A visit to the Tate Liverpool Gallery and Rene Magritte exhibition was good – if a little fraught. Scarlett was an angel; she asked so many intelligent and exciting questions, and did such lovely sketches that it made the lack of time to sit and ponder the works in detail worthwhile. Bea also loved the Gallery, especially Margritte’s baulastrades with eyes – very funny to a 22 month old. She was so excitied and dashed from painting to painting gabbling away to everyone. The staff did look a little nervous of her hands on approaches, but in general it was a great success – and the gift shop was fab. http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/renemagritte/default.shtm?gclid=COzOtcO2xaoCFYMPfAodoFeo0A

The course has been coming a little more slowly, and I keep missing my tutor Liz’s calls. I will try to get five minutes tomorrow afternoon to call her again and get her opinions on my progress so far. I worked all day on my first assignment, but really need to let it dry a little before reassesing and correcting. So onto the writing up of exercises and research – I’ll split it into separate blogs to make it easier to follow and digest. Though it may not make sense, as working inside with the windows closed due to rubbish weather has left me feeling a bit groggy.